Prague Spring

It is evident after WWII that communist regimes appealed to many European nations, especially in Eastern Europe - as seen by the number of communist governments that arose. As we've discussed in class, communism was seen as having a kind of "moral high-ground" because it was among the major forces that defeated the Nazis. However, populations slowly began to see the flaws of communism as enacted under the USSR. While this movement was steadily growing, many still supported the communist cause and saw the Soviet Union as generally benevolent and willing to allow "bloc" countries to dictate their own policies.

When the Czechoslovakia attempted to reform their government to be a bit more liberal, the armies from several Warsaw Pact countries invaded. This sparked resentment around the world. Naturally Western European countries vocalized their opposition to the occupation. The most notable reaction, however, came from within satellite Soviet states. This popular opposition gave anti-soviet movement something to grant them legitimacy. The different reactions to the invasion also created a divide among the communist party world wide - the more conservative communists that supported the forcing of Soviet doctrine, and those that saw the need for reform. Several communist governments spoke out against the invasion and some even held "springs" of their own.

Overall, the "Prague Spring" wiped away the illusion that the USSR merely accepted the choice of sovereign nations to join the Eastern Bloc. Instead it showed that the USSR would enforce its beliefs on one of its satellites. In a manner of speaking, it took away the legitimacy of soviet policy. Since the people of Czechoslovakia obviously had the right to self-govern taken away, suddenly all the USSR countries (to a degree) began to quest their own sovereignty.